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Watsons and Bantay Kalikasan celebrate environmental wellness

07/19/2008

Beyond addressing the health, wellness and beauty needs of its consumers, Watsons Your Personal Store also cares for the health and beauty of the world that their customers live in.

Through its partnership with Bantay Kalikasan, Watsons and its suppliers return the fruits of their products’ success. The partnership was the first step in Go Green With Watsons, a summer-long program that heralded Watsons’ dedication to health and wellness through its roster of products. Sales proceeds from their partners Charantia, Theraherb VCO, Kankunis, Kankura, Enduranz, Ampalaya Plus, Slenda, Lucida Grapeseed, Arthro, HeartVit and Kidneycare were donated to Bantay Kalikasan for the rehabilitation of the La Mesa Watershed.

Planting seeds for life

The partnership culminated last June 25 at La Mesa Ecopark. Besides the attendance of Watsons’ suppliers and Bantay Kalikasan representatives, the experience was also shared with children under the care of Bantay Bata. In line with Watsons’ desire to sustain the spirit of environmental conservation, the children were invited to join in the planting ceremonies in hopes that the conservation efforts be passed on to future Filipino generations.

A group of children under the care of Bantay Bata were invited to visit La Mesa Ecopark and join the activities for “Seeds For Life,” the culmination event held by Watsons that sought to educate the children about the environment while simultaneously celebrating the partnership between Bantay Kalikasan with Watsons and their suppliers.

The children joined Watsons chief operating officer Robert Sun, Watsons Health Business director Lyle Joseph Morell and Watsons marketing director Tes Ramilo-Romano as they potted seeds in La Mesa’s plant nursery shed. The children gleefully dug into the soil and made their own contribution to La Mesa’s forests. Tree seedlings were then planted by Watsons representatives in the adjacent area. When old enough, the seedlings will be transferred to the forestland protected by Watsons’ donation.

Watsons’ guests were invited to enjoy a hearty meal after the morning’s ecological festivities. Health kits comprised of personal care products were distributed to Bantay Bata after the event for them to take home to their peers and share their La Mesa experience with Watsons.

“Our mission is to help our customers enjoy their life by making a bigger and more positive difference to their health, looks and the way they feel,” said Robert Sun. “But beyond providing our consumers the best health, wellness and beauty solutions, it is also our ardent wish to care for the beauty of the world they live in. By advocating a worthy cause like Bantay Kalikasan and La Mesa Ecopark, we help promote the wellness of our environment while simultaneously sustaining it through the education of future generations like the children of Bantay Bata.”

The turnover of Watsons’ donation to Bantay Kalikasan was presented to La Mesa Ecopark administrator David Pardo. The donation was symbolized by the gift of a kamagong seedling. Widely known as iron tree, the rare and sturdy kamagong was bestowed upon Bantay Kalikasan as a symbol of Watsons’ stalwart commitment to environmental preservation.

Watsons Health Division has first look at La Mesa

The partnership between Bantay Kalikasan and Watsons extended beyond the latter’s suppliers and was also celebrated within the Watsons family.

Towards the end of the summer season, the Watsons health team, comprised of representatives from Watsons’ pharmacy group, paid a visit to La Mesa. A private tour of the Ecopark afforded the health team a chance to relax and experience everything the park had to offer. Similar to the activities undertaken by Bantay Bata, the health team was also afforded the opportunity to pot and plant seedlings that would eventually be placed in La Mesa’s forest.

The visit provided the Health Team a personal look into what they had helped conserve. Although the forested area (where the donation bore the most weight) was too enclosed by foliage to see, a tour of the Ecopark itself was enough for them to appreciate the fruits of the Watsons/Bantay Kalikasan partnership.